• Birds fluttered by the large oak, stray feathers floating gently to the cobblestone street a few stories down in the process. The evening sky was invigorating and clear, the colours of light rosé and gold swirling together in a grandeur mixture. The streets were near to empty, with the exception of a young girl, who seemed preoccupied with a crumpled sheet of paper, which had been folded many times. Despite its wrinkled, slightly discoloured appearance, it was surprisingly well-kept. Something resembling a poem was written on it in very rich ink, which kept the girl’s interest and attention.

    She walked along the path along the empty road, the heels of his classic, doll-like shoes scraping gently against the stone. Constricting the child's waist was a tight corset that gripped on firmly around her lower stomach line, a pretty pastel pink colour. The wide skirt started snugly about her hips and flowed out widely in a sort of Victorian style; though it only reached to about her knees. Underneath, several layers of pristine white petticoats, frilled and laced, could be noticed. Her age was anywhere between ten and perhaps fifteen, a fact that made it rather questionable if she even had parents. No one would let their young daughter out at dusk by herself, would they? Dangers, both animalistic and human were about every corner… although this didn’t seem to concern her too much.

    Her gaze trailed upwards to the sky, her eyes large and child-like in a fresh and striking ocean blue tone. She had a very pallid complexion, her crimson painted lips very noticeable. High, proud cheek bones adorned her face, complimented well by the small amount of rogue covering them and granting her a tranquil, porcelain appearance. Her long hair was tied into two ponytails that reached to her shoulders, both bunches formed into nearly perfect corkscrew locks. Her bangs were strictly cut straight, resting right above her eyes. Her tresses resembled the colour of raw silk, a sort of fair light blonde.

    All in all, she seemed almost angelic. Near to perfection; With the exception of one thing. A large white medicinal patch covered her left eye, half of it drenched in blood. The colour was about the same as her lipstick, indicating that it was still fresh. Why in the world someone would harm a child in that immense manner or how she even got the injury was beyond comprehension.

    “Lilith!”

    Her neck craned to the side as the sweetly familiar voice called out behind her, her gaze straying to the person in question. Her face seemed to light up at the realization that it was her beloved Maddie. Maddie… sweet, sweet Maddie. How she adored those pouting lips and those smouldering blue eyes that matched her own in colour but had a slightly sad appearance to them. Turning gracefully on her heels to face her friend, she felt an odd sort of fluttering in her stomach.

    There was no beauty that could ever match that of Maddie. Maddox ‘Maddie’ Blanché had to be the most wondrous and admirable person she’d ever had the privilege to meet. His face was comparable to that of a precious doll, his complexion even paler than her own. His cheeks were perpetually tinted with a pink hue just below his blue eyes. Maddox’s hair was cropped short, reaching to about his chin and bearing a rich honey colour. He had a very lithe figure that was gripped tightly by a long black dress that reached to his knees and was pulled firmly together at the waist with a taut ribbon. A matching silk ascot was secured around his slender neck. Atop his head was a small top-hat, on which a rose had been fixed in place by a few tiny safety pins. A matching black eye patch covered his left eye; opposite of Lilith’s. This was a very baffling fact and many people who might’ve seen them would question either their parental guardians or the two children’s mental health as a whole. How in the world did a child come across such injuries? Matching injuries, at that!

    His gaze wandered almost immediately after she turned around to the large, bulky black boots he wore below. “Are you still reading that dumb poem?” He inquired, the coloured tint in his cheeks darkening as he spoke. He had known Lilith for over five years now and there was nothing in the world that could make him truly bashful or embarrassed around her; usually.

    In response, his companion simply parted her lips in a melodious giggle, shaking her head in a way that made her curls bounce about. “Silly. Of course, I am! And it’s not dumb, either! I love it! You wrote it, after all.” There was a palpable British accent in the children’s voices, giving them both an intelligent aspect. Lilith’s deep blue eyes were focused on Maddie’s downward-tilted head in utter curiosity, her thick lashes batting in a rather innocent manner.

    It took a moment for her to actually speak, as she found it suddenly hard to really muster up any words. He had written the poem shortly before it happened. Without a doubt, he was thinking about their misfortune this very second. “Maddie…” She began, quietly. “It’ll be alright. We’ll be alright.” She honestly doubted that they would be ‘alright’. Ever since the war broke out, nothing was ‘alright’. Dead. Everyone was dead. They would never see them again, no matter how much they prayed or hoped or wished. That was the harsh, morbid truth and both of the children, despite how naïve they seemed, knew this for a fact.


    The two children continued walking, their eyes wandering around the ruins of what used to be a lively and glorious town. The old English pub had been reduced to a pile of rubble and useless bits of wood. The various houses were either broken in many places or completely destroyed, leaving the two to travel amongst the rubble. Not a soul could be seen on the streets as Lilith abruptly stopped, closing her eyes and drawing a long breath of crisp, clean air. “Maddie, my dearest… Where shall we stay this fine evening?”

    The two would normally find a rickety, abandoned house to spend the night. To her disappointment, her normally suave little friend only offered her a half-sided shrug. “I don’t know. I heard we should stay far from the park… that’s where the junkies meet at night, you know? We should travel up to the…er…nicer parts of town.”
    Lilith quirked a thin eyebrow, crossing her arms over her painfully constricted chest. “Nicer parts of town? What are you talking about, love? We’re in the middle of a goddamn wasteland. Maybe there used to be nicer parts of town, but it all seems the same to me, now.”

    Maddie let out an exasperated sigh, his gaze trailing to the cracked cobblestone below his heavy boots. “I’m tired. Let’s just find a place to stay already.” Maddox had never been much of an extrovert, like his good friend Lilith. He was quiet, cold and precise. Lilith only rolled her eyes, her arms crossing over her chest. “Fine. You’re the boss.”

    This was a rather inaccurate statement, really. Maddie was a follower; not a leader. He sometimes wondered why Lilith even asked his opinion; he was usually disinterested in everything anyway. She was the one that supplied them with food or found a place to stay. She mended any rips or tears in their clothing or tended to any wounds. She was like the mother he had lost a few years before. Perhaps that was why he felt compelled to keep close to her; to never stray from her side.

    Another pub came into view, more intact than the last one. Voices could be heard from inside the battered outer walls to the children’s relief. Hopefully there would be a few people in there, civilized enough to give two young ones a place to stay. It wasn’t always the case but they were sometimes lucky enough.

    Lilith went in first, pushing the large oak door with a soft grunt. The hinges had been damaged, making it horribly difficult to push the massive thing. A gust of comfortably warm air hit them and made the whole building seem that much more inviting. The children stepped in, pressing themselves against the door to close it once more. They were only two of many homeless persons in the Inn, most of them drunk or asleep on the floor. Some were at the bar, chatting casually about their woes and losses. It was a tad depressing, but neither of the two were about to refuse staying here, of course.

    “’Scuse me?” The blonde girl called, unable to spot a waitress or bartender just yet, among the guests. At once, a slightly gruff-looking man stood with his mug, approaching them. His hair was a dirty shade of grey, messy and unkempt. His beard was scruffy and matted, making him look much older than he probably was.
    “Yes’m? What can I do for you two?” His voice was a bit husky, yet it had an understanding and soft undertone. So very familiar and giving the two a brief feeling of security. He took a long drag from this cigar, not much minding that he was blowing the smoke directly in their direction. Dying of second-hand smoke was the least of the children’s troubles, after all.

    “Is there any room left? We… erm… we don’t have much money.” Lilith thought to add that, before they were offered a room and expected to pay. The corruption and lack or basic morals unnerved Lilith. Sleeping on the floor with a bunch of drunkards would be ‘Plan B’, for sure.

    The tall man paused, plucking at his beard in thought as he studied the two. His dark eyes seemed to tell a tale of hardship and sorrow. A tale that the two children only knew the half of. He finally nodded and smiled, motioning for them to follow. Maddie glanced about as they walked, his nose wrinkling in disgust as the thick, crude smell of alcohol, sweat and vomit filled his nostrils. This place is revolting. These people are revolting.